Chapter 30: The Detective Su Wuming

The Qi of First Stage Cultivation could only sustain Su Haoming in casting three basic spells, and only wind-element spells most aligned with his spiritual root; any other spells would likely strain even two.

Fortunately, this cultivation system’s recovery ability wasn’t poor.

Su Haoming had already tested this inside the castle: when his Qi was depleted, he needed roughly ten minutes to fully restore it.

Of course, this assumed the presence of spirit stones; if relying solely on food conversion, even the most nutritious meals would take at least an hour.

While his brother and Qian Shu had not yet returned, Su Haoming began setting up alerting barriers around the courtyard gate and walls.

What he called barriers were merely simple air currents and wind ropes.

These wind ropes wound around the courtyard walls and eaves; anyone stepping into them would disturb the air flow, allowing Su Haoming to detect every breeze and movement without leaving his room.

Setting up these devices consumed Su Haoming three full spells and twenty minutes of recovery time.

When all was done, the sun had accelerated westward, and the sky was far dimmer than before.

Su Haoming sat cross-legged on the bed, holding a spirit stone to restore his Qi.

At that moment, the wind rope at the courtyard gate was disturbed.

Su Haoming kept his eyes closed, sensing the feedback from the air currents, and quickly identified the visitor—

His brother had returned!

He opened his eyes, slipped the spirit stone into his robe, and stepped quickly out of the room.

“Brother!”

Su Haoming bowed respectfully to his cousin.

Su Wuming was about to respond when he suddenly paused, studying Su Haoming with suspicion.

For some reason, he felt his cousin carried something indescribable—more confident, more detached than when he’d seen him that morning…

Confidence, fine—but detached?

Could that word even apply to his cousin?

Must be an illusion!

Su Wuming shook his head, then said softly: “I saw no movement in your room earlier, so I assumed you were resting and didn’t disturb you—have you recovered now?”

“Refreshed and invigorated!”

Su Haoming spoke with bright energy.

Su Wuming glanced at him twice, then nodded: “Good.”

With that, he stepped forward, hurrying past Su Haoming.

“Hey, hey!”

Su Haoming instantly dropped his composure, blocking his brother’s path and whispering: “Brother, how is Yin Vice Minister?”

Su Wuming halted, hesitated briefly, then decided the matter concerned his cousin: “I just visited Lu Lingfeng’s residence. Your fire-gun was too powerful—one shot shattered Yin Vice Minister’s five viscera and six bowels. The Jinwu Guards captured him, but before they could carry him out of Ghost Market, he’d already lost all breath…”

“Is that so? What a pity…”

Su Haoming’s face fell with disappointment.

Su Wuming too felt regret—he had confirmed Yin Vice Minister was the supplier managing Chang’an’s red tea sales, at least the one publicly exposed.

A living Yin Vice Minister was far more valuable than a dead one!

Since Yin Vice Minister was dead, accelerating the case required Su Haoming to act himself.

After a moment’s thought, he asked softly: “Brother, there’s another thing I’ve wanted to ask since morning—why do you smell of return-soul incense?”

“Return-soul incense?”

Su Wuming blinked, puzzled: “What’s that?”

Su Haoming explained: “A preservative incense. Applied to a corpse, it prevents decay for months.”

Su Wuming’s pupils contracted slightly, then he reached into his robe and pulled out a red cloth, thoughtful: “So that’s what you call return-soul incense!”

Seeing the red cloth, Su Haoming—though already aware of the plot—played along with an exclamation: “That’s it!”

“The scent on this cloth is return-soul incense. Where did you get it, brother?”

Su Wuming whispered: “This cloth was cut from the corpse of the murdered bride. I suspected it was a preservative incense, but didn’t know its origin.”

Here he paused, turned to Su Haoming, and said: “You’ve always known strange, obscure truths since childhood—I won’t ask how you know this. Tell me: what is the origin of return-soul incense?”

“Thank you for trusting me, brother!”

Su Haoming exhaled in relief, then said seriously: “I don’t know how to make return-soul incense, but I know its raw material is a rare flower from the Western Regions—rumored even ghosts favor it to preserve their flesh.”

Ghosts?

Su Wuming blinked again, then mused: “Come to think of it, in Ghost Market, I met a strange old beggar. When he smelled my scent, he was terrified, cried ‘ghost!’—could he have recognized return-soul incense?”

Hearing this, Su Haoming immediately realized the beggar must be Fei Jishi.

According to Brother Lin, Fei Jishi’s real name was Fei Yingjun, the youngest disciple of the Medicine King Sun Simiao, and the future medical pillar of Tang Gui’s core group.

“Likely so!”

Su Haoming nodded.

Su Wuming pondered briefly, then handed the red cloth to his cousin and asked: “Yansheng, estimate how much return-soul incense would be needed to soak a cloth large enough to wrap an entire corpse, matching the saturation of this piece?”

Su Haoming rubbed the cloth in his hands and shook his head: “That would be far too much.”

Su Wuming mused: “Such a massive quantity implies enormous raw material… I suspect the killer has a steady channel to obtain it.”

Su Haoming nodded: “I agree.”

Su Wuming pressed: “Where do you think it’s most likely?”

Su Haoming spoke casually: “When it comes to rare Western flowers and herbs, it must be the West Market Office.”

“But yesterday I met West Market Director Kang Yuanli—he said he didn’t know this return-soul…”

His voice cut off abruptly, then he sneered: “Clever Kang, the Market Director!”

Seeing his cousin now suspect Kang Yuanli, Su Haoming pressed further: “Brother, one more question: why did the killer dress the corpses in clothes coated with return-soul incense?”

Su Wuming hesitated: “To preserve the bodies?”

Su Haoming countered: “Then why preserve them?”

“...”

Su Wuming thought a moment, then lifted his head, eyes sharp: “To make tea… and rituals!”

Already figured it out so fast?

Su Haoming was surprised, but played along: “Tea and rituals?”

“Exactly!”

Su Wuming whispered: “While investigating the missing brides, I noticed that whenever a bride vanished in Chang’an, red tea soon appeared. I concluded there must be a connection.”

“Also, when I visited Vice Minister Pei, he served me Chang’an red tea—I smelled a sharp stench of blood in the brew…”

Su Haoming responded: “You mean the raw material of Chang’an red tea is the missing brides?”

Su Wuming shook his head: “Not confirmed, but highly likely. Besides, if it were only for tea, this much return-soul incense is excessive!”

“Therefore, I suspect return-soul incense has another purpose.”

“For example, to preserve corpses for elaborate ghostly arrays.”

Su Wuming’s eyes brightened further: “Yansheng, think carefully—each missing bride appears after a gap. If the ritual requires more corpses than available, wouldn’t return-soul incense be needed to preserve them?”

“I once saw a formation that hides corpses in specific directions to prevent their vengeful spirits from gathering.”

“If true, the eight previously missing brides must already be buried.”

He spun around, eyes fixed on Su Haoming:

“Where’s the map?”

“In the study.”

Without hesitation, Su Wuming strode toward the study.

Soon after, Su Wuming emerged smiling, the map now laid out on the study desk behind him.

“Yansheng, do you know why I came back?”

“...I don’t know.”

“Get money, buy meat, reward the constables, and re-enter Ghost Market!”

Su Wuming turned to the map and smiled: “Though heavy rewards attract brave men, my little favors hardly qualify as heavy—and certainly won’t move these hardened veterans!”

“So I’ve changed my plan: start small. Have them search for the brides’ corpses. When they find them, as I expect, my authority will be established.”

“Only then, when I offer rewards and mention Ghost Market, will they listen differently.”

“This is ancient wisdom—the strategy of Shang Yang!”

Su Haoming smiled and bowed: “Brother’s wisdom, this humble brother admires!”

Su Wuming chuckled: “Yansheng, you’re too modest. Each has his own specialty—I specialize in solving cases. If I lacked even this much skill, wouldn’t I have wasted all these extra years over you?”

He glanced at the sky and hurried: “Enough—time’s late, I must hurry to the office!”

Watching Su Wuming’s hurried figure vanish, Su Haoming sighed inwardly.

He had Brother Lin’s help to foresee the case’s twists; Su Wuming, with only existing clues, unraveled the killer’s subtle mistakes.

Indeed, in detection, ten Su Haomings couldn’t match one Su Wuming!

After a moment’s thought, Su Haoming opened the chat group.

【Su Haoming: The closer I get to court, the more I feel my inadequacy…】

【Su Haoming: Brothers, I’ve decided!】

【Su Haoming: I’m abandoning the imperial exams—I’m becoming a hermit!】

(End of Chapter)